The Western Wolves
by aniuwolfe
Summary: Edmund goes with Phillip to a secluded part of the woods to let his mind wander, but instead meets an unexpected ally. What will he do when he learns that Narnia's creatures are in danger? Rated T for mild violence and mild language.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sorry if my writing is a bit awkward at the beginning. It gets better, honest. Also, I have the first 5 chapters already written, so updates should be coming pretty soon.

**Narnia and the Pevensies do not belong to me. **

"Hey, Ed! Where're you going?" A familiar female voice rang out. Edmund turned in his saddle and looked into the distance towards the Cair where, as expected, a jogging Lucy was waving frantically. Edmund tugged on Phillip's reins lightly and turned to see what his little sister wanted. Philip looked at the youngest Pevensie with mild interest.

"Where are you going?" Lucy repeated, panting slightly. Edmund smiled slightly down at her.

"Just for a ride. I'll be back before nightfall," He replied. Lucy pouted, as though wanting to argue him going alone, but thought better on it; after all, Ed had had this argument numerous times with each of his siblings – Philip was more than enough protection, he felt. Peter thought that that was good enough, but still looked a bit bothered by it, Lucy wanted to come along just because she didn't want to be left out, and Susan altogether disagreed with the logic.

"Fine, fine. Just make sure you come back before dinner or Su will have your hide as the main course," Lucy said, smirking. Edmund rolled his eyes, but not without humor.

"I promise," Edmund said, reaching down and mussing Lucy's hair briefly. She scowled and swatted at his hand, but giggled nonetheless.

"Have fun!" She shouted as Phillip turned and began to trot away. "And be safe!" She added, her hands cupped to her mouth. Edmund waved his hand, telling her he heard and that he would. Phillip was nudged into a gallop, and he and his rider disappeared into the trees.

"So, are we _really_ here to ride?" Phillip asked about ten minutes later, slowing down to a steady jog. Edmund sat back and nodded.

"Yeah. Just wanted to get some air," he said. Phillip shook his mane but said nothing.

"Just need time to relax, eh?" Phillip added, knowing his boy too well. Edmund sighed and nodded.

"Yeah. Been a bit overwhelmed recently." Phillip turned and shot him a questioning look but Edmund did not elaborate.

"Well we're not going to be out for long," Phillip noted. "The sun is already starting to set. If we don't get back in twenty minutes or so, your sister's gonna have both our hides." Edmund smiled down at his friend and gave him a kind pat on his neck. Phillip nickered and sped up to a trot.

They wandered until they reached one of Ed's favorite spots to simply cool down – a grassy clearing with a glittering pond next to it. Phillip liked it as well; the grass was sweet and the pond was clean and refreshing to him as well.

Edmund slid off of the Horse and strode a few feet into the clearing, breathing in the fresh air. He turned and addressed Phillip.

"Do you want me to remove your saddle?"

"Yeah, thanks," Phillip said, walking over to Edmund. "Definitely not the most comfortable thing you've made for me. Those slippers, though…" He laid the sarcasm on thick. Edmund himself never understood why Lucy had made those slippers for Phillip. What kind of Horse wears slippers?

Edmund chuckled and undid the saddle and placed it on the ground.

He gazed into the sunset, turning his head slowly to take in the breathtaking colors.

As he looked, however, something caught his eye – it was at the very edge of the forest, and it seemed as though it were staring at him.

Edmund immediately tensed, but did not reach for his sword; whatever it was, he certainly didn't want to threaten it into attacking him. The minute it stepped towards the clearing, Phillip's head shot up from the grass he was nibbling at and his ears shot forward. Both Edmund and Phillip stared ahead at the thing that was slowly gliding out of the trees.

When it emerged beneath the shining sunset, Edmund's eyes widened at what he saw.

* * *

"What do you think is taking Edmund so long, Peter?" Lucy asked, staring down at her empty plate. The sun had set twenty minutes ago, and the three Pevensies were beginning to worry over their younger brother.

"I don't know, but if he doesn't show up within the next five minutes, I'm taking Kino out and looking for him," Peter said, fidgeting with his fork. His eyes glittered with both worry and annoyance.

Susan was scowling. "There had better be a good reason for why he's not here. I really hope that he hasn't gotten into trouble…"

"Well I'm worried about him!" Lucy said passionately, slamming her hands down on the table. Peter and Susan both started, looking around at her. "Edmund wouldn't do something like this unless there was a reason!"

"I agree," Peter said, dropping the fork onto the table. "Which is why I'm going to go look for him."

"We'll come too!" Lucy said, standing so quickly that her chair shot out from behind her and it clattered to the ground. Susan rose - more gracefully than her sister – and nodded. Peter looked as though he wanted to argue, but then took it back, seeing no point.

"Okay, let's go. Inoura," Peter turned to a female faun standing by the doorway, "Will you take care of this please?" He nodded to the table covered in now cold food, looking apologetic. The faun smiled.

"Of course, sire."

The siblings walked at a brisk pace towards the stables, a lantern held in Peter's hand. Peter saddled his grey mare Kino so fast his hands were almost a blur; his eyes were wide and shone with worry. Peter slid the bridle into Kino's mouth and without a word walked out of the stable and onto the small field in front of Cair Paravel. Susan followed with her black mare, Gypsy, and Lucy's tan gelding, Flower ("Hey! I think he's got a lovely name!"). It wasn't until they mounted and were about to set their horses into a gallop that Peter held up his hand his face set in concentration on the distance.

"Wait a second," he said, squinting into the darkness. Lucy followed her brother's example and looked into the distance; Susan opened her mouth to ask what he was looking at. Both of their mouths opened in shock, and Peter's eyes widened when they realized it was indeed a horse and a rider coming towards Cair Paravel.

"Edmund!" Lucy shouted. Susan let out a little "oh!" and Peter, without a word, spurred Kino into a gallop so fast that she reared on her hind legs slightly before charging forward at breakneck speed. The horse, assumed to be Phillip, was walking in a sort of slanted fashion, which only made Peter even more worried. As he got closer, he held out the lantern with one hand and looked to make sure Edmund wasn't wounded. He was irritated to find that he couldn't tell. What he _could _tell, however, was that Phillip wasn't wearing a saddle.

"Ed!" Peter shouted, slowing Kino to a trot as he approached his brother. He heard his sisters galloping up behind him. Edmund slid off of his Horse sloppily and walked over to Peter's side. Peter slid off of his own horse and grabbed his brother by the shoulder.

"Are you hurt?" he said in a nervous tone. Edmund swallowed and shook his head.

"No, I'm not hurt." He glanced at Lucy, who was trotting closer, fingering with her cordial. "I'm fine," Edmund repeated, placing his hand on Peter's shoulder. Peter was nervous to note that he hand was shaking. He also looked rather pale.

"Are you sure?" Peter asked quietly, pulling his brother into a tight hug. Edmund nodded against Peter's shoulder and sighed, relaxing into the embrace. Peter was slightly surprised by this, considering Edmund didn't normally accept hugs of this nature unless he really needed it. Edmund simply gave into the embrace and shifted his forehead against the crook of his brother's shoulder.

"A bit startled, but fine," was the muffled reply.

"Why?" Susan asked quickly. "What happened?"

"I'll tell you when we get to the Cair. It's a bit of a long story," was all Edmund said, before he let go of Peter and walked back over to Phillip, who looked just as worn and troubled as his boy.

Peter glanced back at his sisters, who looked as though all they wanted was to pull their younger brother into a fierce embrace, but they stayed on their horses and followed their brothers up to the stables.

---

Please review. They make me happy. Also let me know if I've made any mistakes in spelling and whatnot. I appreciate the input and advice =)


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Yay! I got 5 reviews! I had decided in my head to update when I got 5 reviews. Thanks for giving them t me! I'm so selfish. But I do enjoy hearing you guys critique my work. =]

Oh, and just to let y'all know, this is so far my favorite chapter that I've written. It's also longer than the last one. =]

Oh, and everyone gets OOC in this chapter at some point or another. I'm going to apologize for that now. Review and let me know who needs work and who doesn't? =D

**Narnia and the Pevensies do not belong to me. **

"Okay, Ed. Spill. Why were you away for so long and why did you look so panicked?" Peter said the minute Susan sat down next to him; she had just finished making them all tea. Edmund was next to Lucy on a couch that was adjacent to the one Peter and Susan were sitting in.

Edmund took a long gulp of his tea, nodded at Susan in thanks, and placed it down on the small table in front of him.

"I don't think panicked is the right word," Edmund said slowly. "It was more of an unexpected occurrence, really."

"Well whatever it was, it sure did startle you," Susan said concernedly. "You really are awfully pale."

Lucy clasped Edmund's hand in her own tightly and nodded. Edmund squeezed her hand back and gazed at Peter, who was simply staring, waiting for an explanation.

"Well, it certainly was a surprise, both for me and for Phillip," Edmund said, looking away from his brother's smoldering eyes. He wasn't sure if Peter was angry at him or at the whole situation.

"What happened, Ed?" Peter asked quietly.

Edmund sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and putting his head in his hands. He rubbed at his face with almost a renewed ferocity, as though to prepare himself for the coming topic, and sighed again. He lifted his face from his hands and leaned back against the chair and looked at Peter – Peter was simply looking at him, waiting for what he hoped to be a good explanation as to why he had scared them so. Edmund hoped his tale would not scare them even more than his late arrival had.

"Okay, so here's where it starts. I told Lucy I was going out to ride for a bit - I wasn't lying, by the way," he added, noting the disbelieving look Peter gave him.

"We know you weren't, Ed," Susan said, who glanced over at Peter, her expression reprimanding. Peter crossed his arms over his chest but said nothing.

"Anyway. Phillip trotted for a bit until we found one of my favorite clearings, and once we got there we planned on relaxing for a bit to watch the sunset. That was until I saw something at the edge of the forest. It made both Phillip and I nervous, so we waited to see what it was-"

"You didn't approach it or anything?" Susan interrupted. Edmund frowned.

"Are you going to let me tell it or not?" he asked, irritated. Susan shut her mouth. Noting her submissive response, Ed rubbed his eyes.

"Didn't mean to snap. Sorry, Su" He added quietly. Susan smiled and nodded in reply.

"As I was saying…"

_The creature edged towards the center of the clearing, and as it got closer, Edmund's stomach jolted slightly when he realized what it was – a wolf. Its fur was white, with the exception of a light grey stripe that traveled down its spine and went all the way down it's tail. It's ears were also tipped with grey. It prowled towards Edmund but stopped ten feet shy of him. Phillip whinnied lightly in warning, but the wolf simply sat, staring at Edmund. Edmund stared right back. _

_They remained like this for another minute, until Edmund relented._

"_What is your business here?" He asked, not unkindly. The wolf smiled a wolfish smile and stood. Phillip glared at the beast, daring it to get closer. Wolves are formidable, but so are angry Horses._

"_Peace, Just King. I do not come with ill intent," the wolf, male by voice, said calmly. The voice was unexpected for Edmund; he expected it to be gruff or harsh but it was instead rather light. _

"_So you're a Wolf," Edmund said; the wolf nodded, understanding the statement._

"_What do you want, Wolf?" Phillip asked bluntly, keeping his tone both flat and dangerous, as if daring the Animal to do the King any harm. _

"_Peace, Phillip," Edmund said quietly to his friend. "There is no point in irritating him."_

_The Wolf made a deep rumbling sound in the back of its throat, and it was at first alarming to Edmund. Upon further contemplation, however, the young king realized that the wolf was indeed chuckling. _

"_Quite right, King. I will say again: I do not come with ill intent. I beg you to hear my words."_

"_You have audience, Wolf. May I ask your name?" Edmund asked, keeping to formalities. True, he was wary of the Wolf, seeing he didn't have very good experiences with them when Jadis was ruling over them, but that would not make him make unjustified accusations about the entire species; he _was _Edmund the Just, after all. If he refused to hear the Wolf out, it would be against his entire title and morals, in a sense. At least, those were his feelings. He doubted Phillip was thinking the same things he was._

"Wow, Ed! That was a really brave thing to do!" Lucy interrupted, beaming. Edmund looked at her in surprise, but his eyes glittered in happiness.

"You think so?"

"I agree with Lu. I'm proud of you, Ed," Peter said, smiling. The anger and worry had left his face for the moment, and all that was left, Edmund happily noted, was pride. Edmund blushed and nodded in thanks. Susan was nodding quickly and reached over and rubbed Edmund's knee, smiling her gentle smile. Edmund rubbed the back of his neck, slightly uncomfortable with so much praise, and continued.

"_My name is Juryn," The Wolf said. Edmund nodded._

"_Well met, Juryn. Now what is it you would ask of me?" Edmund asked. Juryn tilted his neck and pointed his nose at the ground, which Edmund took to be a Wolfish bow. _

"_I, along with my brothers, plea for help from the Narnian Kings and Queens. Our – excuse me – your forests are slowly being killed. We have tried to save our homes, but I am afraid that our attempts are futile; all that has become of our efforts thus far is death in our ranks. We know what is doing this, and I say to you it is no Narnian."_

"_I am truly saddened by your words, Juryn. I must inquire, though – do you indeed consider yourself to be a Narnian? The last Wolf I met was loyal only to the false Queen Jadis," Edmund stated, truly curious. He was also striving to make a point - his wariness was not without cause._

_Juryn gave Edmund that same growl-chuckle, but this time it seemed almost sad. He flicked his tail from right to left once, the rich fur landing lightly on the grass._

"_You are correct, King. My brothers and I of the western packs are Narnians – we follow you and your siblings and we only believe in the true King, Aslan." Juryn gave Edmund another small bow before continuing. "Most wolves, however, still remain loyal to the deceased false Queen. All of the Northern packs, some of the Southern, and some of the Eastern as well. As far as I know, all of the Western packs remain loyal to Aslan, however," Juryn said. Edmund noted that there was almost a hint of pride in the Wolf's tone. Edmund suddenly trusted the Animal a lot more. _

"_That is encouraging to hear," Edmund said. "The bit about the western packs, I mean," he corrected. He then flushed slightly, realizing that, in his comfort, he had lost a bit of his formality. Juryn chuckled once more but did not comment. Phillip remained tense, flicking his tail every minute or so in agitation; clearly he did not trust Juryn nearly as much as Edmund did. _

"_And now I must inquire as to what exactly is happening to the western wood?" Edmund briefly glowed with pride, realizing that these loyal Wolves came from _his _western wood, but immediately shunned these thoughts – it would be best if all Wolves were loyal to Aslan. _

"_As I stated. It is slowly dying. We know not how these foes are doing all of it, but much of it is done by the cruel killings of the wildlife – Talking or no." Edmund shuddered with anger at this. _

"_Can you tell me what is doing this?" He could not quite conceal his rage._

_Juryn looked down at the ground, and Edmund was shocked to see shame shining it his eyes._

"_I am sad to say it is Wolves." _

"What?!" Peter exclaimed suddenly, his fists clenched. Edmund looked up at him, his own eyes sad. Susan and Lucy had similar expressions. "How could those beasts be destroying our forests?"

"Peace, brother," Susan said, though she looked just as troubled. She rested her hand upon her older brother's arm and he seemed to calm somewhat. His eyes still simmered with anger, however.

"They're not all beasts, Peter," Edmund said. "Juryn was a surprisingly kind Wolf."

"I think you gave him too much leeway," Peter scowled, folding his arms over his chest. Lucy frowned at him.

"You're acting like a child, Peter," she said simply. Peter opened his mouth, eyes wide with shock, but Susan interrupted.

"Let Edmund finish explaining. Calling them beasts is a tad too cruel. Remember, they're Wolves. Calling them beasts is like saying they can't talk. If they can talk then that means we'll be able to work with them, right?"She said, her tone soothing. Peter scowled, but sat back against the couch, waiting for Edmund to begin talking again. Edmund sat for a few more seconds, eyebrows raised, as though waiting for any more interruptions. When he received none, he continued.

_Edmund's mouth opened in shock and he paled slightly, clearly not expecting such an answer. When Juryn continue to stare at the ground, Edmund glanced over to Phillip, where he himself has a similar expression adorning his face. Edmund opened his mouth to speak, when suddenly Juryn's head shot up and stared to his right, ears angled so as to hear better. Edmund was about to ask what was wrong, but Juryn stood swiftly and walked over to Edmund quickly, his body pinned close to the ground. Phillip made a noise of objection, but the Wolf ignored it. _

"_We are not alone," he whispered quickly. He seemed nervous. "It's a Wolf of the North. You must hurry. Meet me here again tomorrow." The last bit was barely audible._

_There was a deep growl, and suddenly a humongous black wolf, about four inches taller than Juryn, stalked out of the wood. _

"_What is a Northern Wolf doing in King Edmund's territory?" Juryn growled, his tail in the air in defiance. Edmund's heart leaped when he heard Juryn's words – they sounded both honest and proud._

"_Is it any business of yours?" The black male ground out, smirking and eerie smirk; his voice was much deeper than Juryn's. "What could a wolf of your caliber do about it anyway?" Juryn's expression did not falter, though it was hard to see in the darkness; Edmund's eyes had adjusted somewhat, but it was still challenging to pick out details. _

"_I will ask you to leave, but force is certainly not beyond me," Juryn replied, his tone dark._

_The black Wolf simply rumbled in his amusement. "Maybe I'll kill your King," he said, glancing in Edmund's direction. Edmund glared back at the Wolf, but it would be a lie if he were to say he wasn't frightened. Phillip snorted and stomped his hoof, his eyes narrowed. _

"_I'd like to see you try, mongrel," He rang out. _

_The Wolf simply smirked wickedly and snapped his teeth threateningly in Edmund's direction._

_Juryn snarled and stood to his full height, glaring in defiance and rage at the other Wolf. He glanced behind him, where Edmund was rooted to the spot. The larger of the two Wolves crouched, teeth bared and hackles raised._

"_You must leave here, now, King." And without another word, Juryn lunged at the other Wolf, who attacked just as readily; all Edmund saw was a flash of Juryn's fur and both of their teeth, snapping at the other. Though he felt terribly about it, he immediately turned away and quickly reprimanded himself. The saddle! He glanced hurriedly over to it, where it lay dejectedly in the grass behind the two fighting Wolves. Edmund decided haste was best and dived for Phillip's bare back; Phillip turned his head and practically lifted Edmund off of his feet while helping him get onto his bare back. Once he knew Edmund was on his back, Phillip galloped out of the clearing, and Edmund's heart skipped a beat as he heard a snarl, then a whimper and more snarls. He turned his neck briefly to see where the fight was headed and was at least a little relieved when he didn't see any laying figured in the grass, and though it was hard to see between the trees and in the dark, he knew the battle was well-matched at least._

_Phillip ran, intent on getting his King safe home, and Edmund rode, wanting to share the news. Half of him, however, wanted to turn and return to Juryn's side. _

_Phillip ran for a good ten minutes, making Edmund sore to the bone – he hadn't ridden that fast bareback in a long time - until they cleared the trees and saw the glowing windows of the Cair ahead. Sighing, Edmund relaxed on the horse's back, and Phillip slowed to a jog, panting. _

_Edmund was extremely relieved to see three small blacks dots coming steadily closer to him from Cair Paravel, the one in front holding a bright lantern._

"_Here comes my King," Edmund said, his voice sounding exhausted to his own ears. _

"_They're going to kill us," Phillip said between gasps. Edmund did not reply, but slid out of the saddle and shot into the welcoming arms of his older brother. His body succumbing to the emotional exhaustion for his worry for Juryn and his wood, he relaxed into the kind embrace of his brother and prepared to tell them of the dangers they faced._

_---_

Review? =D

Yes, I've thrown an original character in here. But don't fret, this is NOT going to be anything close to a MarySue. I hate reading and writing those.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Ugh. This chapter is filled with OOC crap. It's short, and it's boring, in my opinion. Boring interlude stuff that you need to hear. I hated writing it. Hence why it took so long to come out. I really don't like writing Peter. As much as I love his character, I can't get used to writing him. So I apologize in advance if you hate this chapter. Although, I like the end of this chapter. I like Peter and Edmund fluff.

**Narnia and the Pevensies do not belong to me. **

"So there you have it," Edmund said, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked back at his siblings who were in turn staring at him, each with a different expression. Lucy's mouth was hanging open slightly, Susan's eyes were wide and her hands were grasping her skirts with white knuckles, and Peter…Peter was simply sitting there. His eyes were narrowed slightly, and he was clenching and unclenching his first, as though hoping it would relieve his anger somewhat. His eyes were glittering with rage.

"What do you propose we do, Peter?" Edmund asked, leaning forward and propping his elbows on his knees. Peter let out a breath slowly.

"Whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of that wood."

"And the Wolves that inhabit it, too," Susan added, glancing over at him. Edmund smiled gratefully at her. Peter nodded slowly.

"Yes, the Wolves as well."

"Well, the Western ones, anyway," Lucy said rather darkly. Edmund ran a hand through his hair briefly.

"Well whatever happens, I need to go back tomorrow," he said. Peter's head immediately darted up, his eyes locked onto his younger brother's.

"What?" Peter asked.

"Juryn told me to meet him. I need to make sure he's alright," Edmund said, his own eyes looking straight at Peter's as if daring him to argue. "And you don't need to go with me, I'll be quite safe."

"You will, will you?" Peter all but shouted. "Isn't that what you said earlier, before you were nearly killed by a Wolf?!"

"Calm down, Peter. I wasn't harmed, and Juryn was more than willing to protect me. I trust him," Edmund said, his eyes steely. He was vaguely surprised himself with how much he trusted the Wolf.

"But you almost were!"

"Peter!" Susan interjected. "Stop yelling."

Peter glared but began to speak more quietly.

"I'm just saying that, if you feel this burning desire to go and save this Juryn character, I'm coming with you."

"I'm sorry, but no." Edmund said. Peter and Lucy both opened their mouths to object, but Edmund continued before they could. "I want him to come to the Cair with me tomorrow. You can meet him then. I don't want him to be overwhelmed." Edmund didn't say this, but he felt as though this time, Juryn may not come alone. The appearance of the Northern Wolf was indeed surprising to his newfound friend, and Edmund felt that he would not return alone if that threat were still present.

"I'll be fine with going alone for this one," Edmund said again, as if repeating it would help his siblings accept it. By the looks of things, it was actually working. Susan looked uncomfortable with it, but nodded slowly.

"If that's what you think is best, brother, then I am okay with you going alone tomorrow," she said. Edmund gave her a warm smile, which she returned.

"Thank you, my sister."

"No thanks are needed."

Edmund turned to Lucy, who looked a bit less pleased with the whole idea. She shifter in her seat, but looked as though she couldn't think of a good argument against it, seeing as her sister usually knew what was best.

"Will you at least take my cordial?" Lucy asked, almost pleadingly. Edmund gave her a rather stern look.

"It's only to be used in emergencies, Lu, and I highly doubt anything will happen," he said. Lucy looked down at her lap where her hands were clasped together. Edmund gave her a calm smile. "Don't worry." He sighed. "Goodness! You guys are all worried over nothing. I'm just going to be gone for a little while. Then I'll have Juryn come to the Cair with me."

He glanced up at Peter, who still looked defiant.

"Do you not trust me?" He inquired in a small voice that was rather un-Eddish. Peter's eyes changed from bold to hurt in a matter of seconds.

"Ed, you know that's not true."

"But that's practically what you're saying!" Edmund said fiercely. "You're been overprotective about nearly everything, Peter!" Peter looked somewhat hurt by that.

"I'm only trying to protect you, Edmund!"

"Who says I need protecting?"

"Both of you, stop it!" Lucy interjected suddenly, leaving both of her brother's glaring at each other. "You both are overprotective abut each other _all the time_ anyway. Just let him go, Peter! He's perfectly capable of taking care of himself."

"And besides, you _have _been a bit overprotective recently," Susan added. Peter glanced over at her, an incredulous look crossing his face.

"You of all people should know why!"

Susan gave him a look, but didn't argue. Peter, glancing around the room at the three of his siblings, shook his head tiredly and sighed. The dim lighting of the candles in the room flickered, creating the illusion that Peter had aged somewhat; he looked worn.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're right. You can go alone, just so long as you're not away for more than three or so hours."

Edmund nodded slowly and stood.

"I'm kind of tired. I'll see you in the morning. Thank you, by the way," he smiled, and swiftly left the room. Peter exhaled slowly.

"I'm still not comfortable with this."

"You do a lot of things that make us worry too, y'know," Lucy pointed out, crossing her arms. Peter smiled, but it held no humor.

"I know, and I'm sorry."

"Oh hush. It isn't like we're blaming you or anything," Susan said, crossing one leg over the other, her skirts dragging against the rich carpet floor. "We're family; of course we're going to worry about one another."

"And besides," Lucy said, standing and walking over to Susan's and Peter's couch. She promptly plopped herself in between them, causing both siblings to grunt at the weight added to their laps. "We all seem to be forgetting because he's younger: Edmund is a wonderful fighter. I mean, you're great and all, Peter; but Ed's clever. He can weasel his way out of a feud with a couple of Wolves." Peter's eyebrows rose, and his eyes glittered with mirth.

"I know. I just worry is all." He said, leaning back and draping his arms over his sibling's shoulders. "You guys always know how to cheer me up whenever Ed does something stupid."

Both girls snorted, each thinking that they felt their oldest brother was being the more foolish of the two, but said nothing. They simply sat, enjoying one another's company, before they each dismissed themselves to bed.

As Peter walked into his chamber, which was conveniently connected to Edmund's, he paused. He walked over to the door that connected their two rooms and knocked quietly.

"Ed? You awake?"

"Pete?" came the muffled reply. Peter smiled at the pet name; Edmund rarely said it, but when he did, it seemed to warm Peter's heart to its core.

Feeling his smile widen, he said quietly, "Sorry I was such a prat. You know I trust you with my life, don't you?" There wasn't a response, but the sound of rustling bed sheets and the thudding of bare feet on wood. The door slid open slowly, revealing a tousle-haired and sleepy-eyed Edmund. He opened the door wider and smiled gently.

"Of course I do, Pete. And you with mine." He reached out and hugged his brother briefly, which Peter returned, feeling his guilt and worry ebb away.

"See you in the morning."

"Yeah, see you." Edmund gave him one more smiled, before he turned to the door and quietly closed it behind himself. Peter, feeling satisfied and reassured, walked over to his wardrobe and began to change for bed.

---

Read and review please.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sorry for the long wait. Computer troubles.

**Narnia and the Pevensies do not belong to me. **

"I'm off," Edmund said, stepping up onto the overturned bucket; his saddle was still in the clearing, and there weren't many others to choose from, considering they were the only human riders there; he needed the bucket to get onto Phillip's bare back. Peter looked at him, smiled, and briefly patted his shoulder.

"You be safe now, or I'll never let you go out riding alone again," he said, but his smile and sparkling eyes betrayed his stern words. Edmund smiled back and glanced back at the Cair, where his sisters were – they couldn't accompany him to the field, but they had said their goodbyes during breakfast.

"I'll be fine," Edmund said, hoisting himself up onto Phillip's back. Phillip grunted.

"I can't believe you're going back to that Wolf," the Horse muttered. Edmund swatted him on the neck gently.

"He needs us," he said simply. Peter chuckled.

"I'm still partially with the Horse on this one, Ed." Edmund simply rolled his eyes.

"I'll be back in a few hours. Hopefully Juryn will decide to accompany me back."

"Is the medicine you were gathering before for him, then?" Peter asked, glancing at the pack that was on Edmund's shoulder-normally it would be tied to the back of the saddle. Edmund nodded.

"When I left, he and that other Wolf were fighting, and I figure he might appreciate it."

Peter gave him a disbelieving look. Edmund sighed.

"Okay, it was Lucy's idea. But I think it's a good one." Peter chuckled.

"Well you make sure you both make it here in one piece." He glanced at Phillip. "Ah, make that you three." Philip nodded in appreciation, and Peter nodded back, smiling. Edmund patted Phillip's neck, then turned to his brother once more.

"Well, I should be back in time for tea. Better keep some hot for me."

Peter laughed lightly. "See you then."

Edmund nodded, shot his brother a small smile, then dug his heels lightly into Phillip's side, urging the Horse into a gallop. Phillip ran, turned into the woods, and he and his rider were both gone.

---

"I really hope he's alright, Phillip," Edmund said as they approached the clearing they had been to the previous night.

"You talkin' about the wolf?" Phillip asked, sounding completely unconcerned. Edmund frowned a bit, but nodded.

"Yeah. From what I heard of the fight, it wasn't going too well," He said. Phillip nickered slightly.

"He can handle himself," Phillip shrugged. Edmund wanted to reply, but couldn't think of anything to say, so they rode the rest of the way to the clearing in silence.

As Phillip neared the clearing ten minutes later, Edmund became suddenly nervous. He didn't know what he would see when he got there.

Pushing aside a stray branch that threatened to hit him in the face, he peered into the grassy area. The only thing that he spotted, which was expected but it still made his heart ski a beat, were blood stains on the glistening grass.

Edmund dismounted silently and sat next to the stains. Phillip stood behind his king, looking around and swishing his tail. He didn't want to put the saddle on, seeing as it had the blood of Wolves on it, which made both he and Phillip uncomfortable.

"Now we wait," Edmund sighed. Phillip nodded.

It wasn't for another half an hour or so before there was any noise besides the blowing of the wind and the rattling of leaves on their branches. Edmund turned his head to the faint sound of crunching leaves beneath what he hoped were friendly paws. Phillip's head shot up and he twisted his ears towards the sound, and Edmund stood, waiting.

"Juryn?" Edmund said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

"I was afraid you wouldn't come," the voice called from within the trees. Edmund smiled.

Slowly but surely a limping white Wolf emerged from the wood, looking tired but happy. Edmund's eyebrows shot up in worry, and he stepped forward.

Juryn's tail wagged once. "I am glad you got away safe, my King."

"It was only thanks to you that I did, noble Wolf. You have my thanks."

"They are not needed, but it is appreciated, my Lord." The Wolf bowed his neck, but in doing so revealed to the boy tree rather long scratches. Edmund let out a small breath.

"That looks like it hurts," Edmund said quietly, walking over to the Wolf. He nodded at his neck and also at his paw, which he was favoring. Edmund knelt and began to examine the paw; Phillip made a small noise of protest but said nothing. Juryn put back one ear in a sign of almost embarrassment.

"You do not need to fear. I am fine," Juryn said but did not pull his paw from the King's hand.

"Nonsense. You got these injuries protecting me; I'll be damned if they get infected."

"Language, Edmund."

Edmund glanced back at Phillip. "Are you and my brother plotting against me or something?" Phillip snickered and bowed his neck deeper than was necessary. Edmund scowled and turned back to the paw, pulling ointments and bandage from the pack on the ground.

Soon, Edmund was done with Juryn's paw and began to work on the cuts around his neck.

"From his teeth?" Edmund asked. Juryn nodded once, looking at the ground. Edmund rubbed some ointment into the cuts then rose. Juryn shook his fur a couple of times then stood as well.

"Now I may give you _my _thanks, King," Juryn said, bowing. Edmund shot the Wolf one of the slanted smirks he was known for.

"You don't need to call me 'King,' you know. You can call me Edmund," he said. Juryn's ears shot forward; Edmund assumed that, because Wolves didn't have eyebrows, the conveyed most of their emotion through their ears. Edmund interpreted this as being surprised. Juryn shifted one of his ears back and smirked.

"Well then, Edmund, would you like me to finish my tale? There isn't much left of it, but you may want to be on the same page as I."

Edmund nodded. "Please."

Juryn sat in the grass and licked his paw a few times before speaking.

"As I stated before, the Wolves that are not in allegiance with you and your family are attacking the Western woods. It's almost like a challenge," Juryn added, flattening his ears and looking at the ground. "They want to eliminate our ranks, by the looks of it."

"So this is basically a war between two Wolf packs?" Phillip asked.

"Yes, basically." Juryn glanced between Edmund and Phillip. "There is a question that needs to be asked, but has not yet been addressed."

Edmund nodded, waiting.

"Will you help us?" The Wolf asked, bowing his neck the deepest he had done since he met Edmund. Edmund smiled at the gesture.

"Rise, friend. I am sorry to say that I cannot answer that question fully, for I need to ask my siblings first. I am not the High King, after all," Edmund smirked before continuing. "I have explained this all to my brother and sisters and they are of the same opinion as me, but I ask you to come with me to Cair Paravel to ask them yourself. It would me a lot to them, and to me, if you came."

Juryn looked at him thoughtfully. "They will not shun me for what I am?"

"I can assure you my siblings will not. If any Narnian comments on you being a Wolf, then I will kindly tell them to take their unjustified opinions and shove off," Edmund said, his smirk back and his eyes glittering with mischief. Juryn chuckled.

"Then, under these circumstances, I will accompany you to your home," Juryn said. Edmund smiled.

"Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me, Just King."

"You don't need to stick to the formalities, remember?" Edmund said. Juryn shrugged.

"But at the moment you are being exactly what I addressed you as: a Just King. I am truly grateful for what you are doing for us, King Edmund."

Edmund blushed slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. "There is no need for such words, Juryn." Juryn shook his head slightly but said no more on the subject.

"When we get to the Cair, We can speak to Peter and we'll see if he can accompany us to your pack," Edmund said.

"There is not only one pack, Edmund. There are three," Juryn corrected, laying down on the grass slowly, making sure to not put too much weight on his wounded paw. Edmund's eyebrows rose in surprise. He didn't think there were that many wolves in Narnia.

"Three?"

"Well, yes. We've untied recently in the same territory in order to fight the rogue Wolves. The three packs used to be separate, spread throughout the wood. But My brother and I organized a summoning and they came to help."

"How many members to a pack?" Edmund asked, his curiosity rising.

"Our pack has twelve." Edmund's eyebrows rose. Juryn grinned. "Twelve isn't that big, if you think about it. The largest of the three has nineteen." Edmund's eyebrows rose even further.

Juryn rumbled his amusement. "The other pack has only eight, however."

"You have a brother?" Philip asked, his voice a monotone.

"Yes. His name is Arkor."

Edmund shifted and looked up at the sky. Phillip noted this, and spoke up.

"We should start heading back to the Cair," Phillip said.

Edmund nodded and shifted his attention to Juryn.

"Remember: city folk aren't used to Wolves. They won't attack, but-"

"I know, King Edmund. I'll just pretend to be a meek little pup. They should think me tame if I do." Juryn's voice was dripping with sarcasm and unhappiness. Edmund winced.

"Unfortunately, that's probably true. My siblings won't, however," he said with pride. Phillip nodded.

"Well I am anxious to meet them. Shall we depart?" The Wolf asked, rising once more. He wagged his tail once and turned to the East. Edmund walked over to the saddle, went to pick it up, but changed his mind; it had rained, and the leather was slightly warped and was starting to smell.

He glanced back at Phillip, who was eyeing the saddle with some sadness. Edmund walked over and patted his neck a couple of times.

"I'll make a new one for you, promise."

"You'd better," he teased, but he was smiling.

Phillip knelt slightly and Edmund jumped onto Phillip's bare back and adjusted himself. "You ready, Juryn?"

"Yes, king."

"Hope you can keep up," Phillip said, and loped out of the clearing. The Wolf grinned and darted forward, running next to Phillip.

"What interesting people," Juryn said, his eyes sparkling with mirth. He wagged his tail once and darted forward, loping out of the clearing and running next to the Horse and boy, his heart happy for the first time in years.

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Sorry for the fluctuation in the length of the chapters ^^;;

Read and review please, like always. =3


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